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Project Linus to hold Make-A-Blanket Day

The Middle Tennessee Chapter of Project Linus will hold a National Make-A-Blanket Day.

The event will be Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church at 1655 W. Main St. in Lebanon.

Several chapters all over the country will hold local MABDs on this day to make blankets for children. Anyone can help even without sewing or quilting skills. They will show participants how to sew or how to help in other ways. If possible, bring sewing machines, yarn, supplies, etc. for a couple of hours or take a sack lunch and stay all day. Refreshments will be provided along with lemonade, coffee and water.

Quiltmaker Magazine has supported Project Linus since 2000 by designing a quilt pattern and providing it free especially for its use. This year’s quilt, Fancy Fishies, will make a great quilt for little boys. This pattern has two blocks; block A is a paper foundation pieced fish, and block B is a plain blue tone-on-tone 6½-inch block. The pattern can be found by going to quiltmaker.com/content_downloads/QM_FancyFishies_9825.pdf.

Many chapters, including the Middle Tennessee chapter, will make some of these quilts at the blanket day, so make some blocks and bring them or mail them to Project Linus Middle Tennessee Chapter at 102 Hartmann Drive, Suite G PMB 264; Lebanon, TN 37087. Participants who do not know how to do paper foundation piecing, volunteers can teach.

“Project Linus can only be successful if the community gets involved. Hopefully many people will come out and help us make blankets for the children,” said Tina Wilke, Middle Tennessee Chapter coordinator.

Project Linus accepts homemade quilts, afghans and fleece blankets. Monetary gifts to Project Linus, as well as donations of new cotton or flannel fabric, fleece (1 ¾ to 2 yards), yarn, batting or other supplies, will also be accepted.

The mission of Project Linus is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade, washable blankets and afghans, lovingly crafted by volunteers, whom are called “blanketeers.” It also provides a creative outlet and fun community service for those who wish to use their talents to help children.

The Middle Tennessee/Nashville Chapter was established in October 2001, and has now donated blankets to more than 20,000 children. Blankets from the local chapter are delivered to facilities, such as Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, Centennial Medical Center, Our Kids and Charis. It has also donated blankets to victims of national tragedies, such as Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and Hurricane Sandy, along with children of military personnel who lost their lives serving the country.

The volunteer nonprofit 501c3 organization has now delivered more than 5 million blankets nationally since 1998.

For more information on the Make-A-Blanket Day 2014 or to learn more about Project Linus, contact Wilke at 615-584-5799 or tinaplmidtn@gmail.com or Tammy Dillard, co-coordinator, at 615-238-1883 or tammyplmidtn@gmail.com.

More information about Project Linus can also be found on the national website at projectlinus.org.